Man Utd 1-0 Sunderland: Battling Sunderland lose out to late strike from Vidic

NEMANJA Vidic, above, broke Sunderland hearts with a late, late winner.

The managerless Black Cats were a whisker away from an unlikely point when Michael Carrick's shot took a wicked deflection on to the post and rolled across goal to give Vidic a tap-in - and you could only wonder whether it would have made Roy Keane laugh or cry.

If Carlos Tevez was in any doubt that his future lies away from Manchester United, he isn't now.

The Argentine striker must have believed four goals against Blackburn in the League Cup in midweek had guaranteed him only his seventh Premier League start of the season.

Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to dump him back on the bench was ruthless - and the clearest signal yet that United will not be taking up the £30m option to make Tevez's loan deal permanent. It was a pity Keane left Sunderland on Thursday - he could have told Tevez from personal experience that Ferguson isn't one for taking prisoners.

Former United reserve-team coach Ricky Sbragia stepped temporarily into the place vacated by Keane. And there were places in his team for one-time United Treble winner Dwight Yorke - also named as Sbragia's assistant - and former Red Devils' full-back Phil Bardsley.

It soon became an evening of United on the attack and Sunderland on the retreat.

Dimitar Berbatov forced Marton Fulop into his first save when he collected Cristiano Ronaldo's flick to fire in a low shot that flew to safety off the Black Cats keeper's legs.

Fulop's next intervention was even more impressive, scrambling to claw away Rooney's shot after Ronaldo had squared a free-kick 25 yards out.

United threatened again when Rafael Da Silva broke down the right to deliver a cross that skipper Dean Whitehead did brilliantly to clear.

The second half was the same as the first, United pushing relentlessly forward against a wall of dark blue shirts. Rafael's continuous sorties forward from right back were providing United with their best moments. One raid by the Brazilian teenager saw his low cross fall to Darren Fletcher, but the midfielder's shot on the turn was high and wide.

Fulop did well to save again when Michael Carrick unleashed a low drive that skidded on the greasy turf.

United's fans were getting anxious - and Ferguson tried to settle them in the 58th minute when he replaced Park with Tevez. That gave the home side a four-man attack of Rooney, Ronaldo, Berbatov and Tevez. And when Berbatov found Ronaldo 12 yards out the breakthrough seemed certain, only for the Portuguese winger to shoot over.

Yorke was given a standing ovation by both sets of fans when he was replaced by Teemu Tainio after an hour.

Ronaldo injured his hip when he missed his earlier chance and he limped off in the 66th minute before United had prepared Ryan Giggs to take his place.

Sunderland threatened for the first time when Edwin Van der Sar had to save El-Hadji Diouf's deflected cross with his legs.

Berbatov squandered the best chance of the game so far in the 76th minute. Carrick's cross from the left was perfect for the £30million Bulgarian, but he headed over.

Even Tevez couldn't find the target, shooting wide after Rooney had set him up.

But then came that late, late drama.